


Amnesty

by NebraskaWildfire



Series: Red [5]
Category: Alias Smith and Jones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 12:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21162002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebraskaWildfire/pseuds/NebraskaWildfire
Summary: The telegraph they’ve been waiting for finally arrives.





	Amnesty

Hannibal Heyes read the telegraph yet again. It was fairly innocuous but sent shivers down his spine. He wasn’t certain if the shivers were of fear, excitement, or both.

JOSHUA SMITH AND THADDEUS JONES. 930 MORRIS STREET, CINCINNATI, OHIO. GOOD NEWS. OUR MUTUAL FRIEND IN CHEYENNE HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. REQUESTS ALEXANDRA STANTON ALSO ATTEND. REPLY TO LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU WILL ARRIVE. LOM TREVORS. PORTERVILLE, WYOMING.

Heyes decided he was at the very least worried. He had been thinking of sending their current address to Lom, but had yet to do it, not wanting to bring attention to Red or her family. So how did Lom know where to send the telegraph?

Warren. It had to be Senator Warren. Heyes wasn’t certain if he was mad, relieved, or just flat out confused. Why after all these years were they being summoned to the office of the governor of Wyoming, with good news, if the telegraph was to be believed?

He was pacing up a storm, waiting for the Kid or Red to return. 

His partner had gone off on one of his frequent trips to the shooting range. He picked odd times, to avoid unnecessary questions when he buckled on his gun belt and let sensory memory take over his body to shoot as fast as he knew he could. Heyes often accompanied him, to watch his back. 

Today, the Kid had chosen to go over lunch time. It said something about his devotion to keeping his skills honed, for him to miss lunch. He knew that the shooting range at the gentlemen’s club where he practiced would be deserted at that time of day. No self-respecting gentleman would miss luncheon, just to shoot. Luckily for Curry, he wasn’t a gentleman.

As such, Heyes figured that he didn’t need to accompany his cousin this day and would instead spend the time at home, as he often did recently, reading. As Aunt Violet was indisposed with the grippe, he had a sandwich and a whiskey with his book in the library. Heyes was perfectly satisfied, until the telegraph arrived.

Red was out for most of the day, meeting with a ladies’ group, to form a science academy for girls. It had not been very successful so far, but Red, as well as Maria Storer, were determined to make it happen. Funding was promised from Alva Vanderbilt, as well as money raised from the wealthy ladies of Cincinnati. Now they only needed to receive approval to build from the men on the city council. That had yet to happen.

Heyes poured himself another whiskey, but had not stopped pacing long enough to drink it. Was this finally their amnesty? Had Bessie convinced her father to talk to Governor Barber? Had Warren conspired with Barber and was going to arrest them if they showed up? Did they know who Red really was? Heyes’ mind was spinning as his pacing continued.

“Joshua, what on earth is the matter?” Aunt Violet stood in the doorway, a shawl around her shoulders, and a lacy handkerchief held to her nose.

“Violet, I thought you were resting.” Heyes came up to Red’s aunt and led her to a chair.

“I couldn’t take being shut up in my rooms any longer.” She eyes Heyes. “I thought I would come down and see if you would join me for tea.”

Heyes ran his hand through his hair, took a deep breath, and smiled wanly at her. “Of course, Aunt Violet. I would be happy.”

“Joshua Smith, as long as I’ve known you, you have been able to sidetrack questions and weave wonderful tales that say nothing.” She held up her hand as Heyes started to protest. “However, I do not think you have yet told me an actual falsehood.” She glared at him and he lowered his eyes. “Until now.” She reached out to grasp his hand. “Whatever is the matter?”

He looked at her and she wondered once more what sort of man her niece had actually brought into her home. She wasn’t frightened, but thought she was seeing the true man for the first time. It wasn’t the foppish dilettante that he often played here in Cincinnati that was looking back at her. There was deep intelligence in his eyes, drive in the set of his body, and confidence radiating from him. This was a leader of men. Just what sort of men, she wondered.

He stared at her for a moment, nodded, and then handed her a telegraph from the desk. She read it, but there was still confusion on her face.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand Joshua.” Violet blew her nose. “Who is your friend in Cheyenne that you need to meet with and why do they want Alexandra to come?”

“Joshua?” The Kid stood in the doorway to the library, looking from Heyes, to the telegraph in Violet’s hand.

“Kid, you gotta stop doin’ that.” He poured a second glass of whiskey for Curry and a glass of wine for Aunt Violet, noticing as his cousin’s face became very still and his eyes glacial.

“Joshua.” The Kid met Heyes’ eyes and wasn’t certain he liked the determination he saw there. “Are you sure this is the right time for this?” He looked down at Aunt Violet, who knew much more was going on than was being spoken. “Where is Alex?”

“She’s still out.” Heyes handed him the glass of whiskey and turned to offer the wine to Violet. She took a sip. Curry downed half of the shot.

“You called him Kid.” Violet stated quietly but firmly.

Heyes finally stopped pacing and sat down next to her. He looked up at the Kid, who relented and perched on the front of a chair, but did not relax.

“Violet.” Heyes captured her gaze and reached out for her hand. “My name is not Joshua Smith.”

She started to laugh, but ended up coughing. After taking a sip of the wine, she regained her composure and returned Heyes’ intent stare. “I knew that the moment you came into my home.” 

“How?” Curry asked.

Violet smiled wryly, meeting first Heyes’ gaze and then the Kid’s. “If two men were so obviously not ordinary, boring men with common names like Smith and Jones, it was you two.” She looked down, to gather her thoughts. “Do you know how easily you two command a room when you enter it?”

Curry shook his head, but Heyes just met her eyes.

“Unless of course you’re playing the bored man of leisure, like Harry Kroger.” Violet smiled. “But then he’s much smarter than he appears too.” She shook her head. “Even then, you two just sweep through a room like you own it, even when you know you do not.”

Soft footfalls could be heard coming down the hall. Violet suddenly realized what Joshua’s earlier statement to Thaddeus meant. She hadn’t heard him approach. Not at all. The hall was carpeted, but she still heard the maid, Claire, pause before she stood in the doorway.

“Cook says tea is ready.” She saw the drinks in everyone’s hands. “Would you like it served in here, or …”

“No, Claire, please bring it into the parlor.” The maid curtseyed and left. “If I’m going to finally learn the story of my niece’s and nephew’s journeys out West, I might need something a bit more fortifying than this glass of wine.”

“Joshua?” In an echo of the Kid’s prior query, Red stood in the doorway, her hat still upon her head and her bag and parasol still in her hand.

Once they were all settled in the parlor, tea, coffee and cakes had been passed and the maids had retreated to the kitchens. All appeared normal and regulated again, but there was an undercurrent running that made Violet smile and wonder exactly what she was about to learn.

Alex was strung tightly, looking first to Heyes and then Curry. She took a deep drink of her tea, desperately wishing for some of the wine or even whiskey she had noticed in the library.

“Joshua,” she began, but he reached out to intertwine the fingers of their hands. He started to hand her the telegraph, but stopped looking down at it for a moment.

“Kid, here, you probably need to read this first.” Red’s eyes widened as they met Heyes’.

Curry swiftly read the telegraph, exchanged a look with Heyes that said volumes and then handed it to Red.

“Oh … my.” Red looked up at Heyes who just started to chuckle softly.

“My reaction, exactly, my love.” Heyes looked over to Curry and then back at Red. “Well, do we go?”

The Kid grimaced and shrugged. “You think we can trust the governor to not change his mind long enough for us to get there?” His face went suddenly still. “Do you think he talked to …” His eyes locked with Heyes’.

“I’m almost positive.” His eyes glittered as he held Curry’s. “And I think there was someone pushing him.”

A couple emotions went across the Kid’s face, then he smiled wryly. “Not if he’s read any of our letters.”

“Joshua, I believe you had yet another one of your entertaining tales to spin for me. Hopefully this time it will contain some of the truth.” Violet met gazes with Heyes and didn’t flinch. His beautiful dimpled smile came out. “And don’t try to charm me. This time it won’t work.”

It was Red who sighed at this moment and put a hand over her face. Heyes kept her other hand in his.

“How much are we telling?” She looked into the deep pools of Hannibal Heyes’ eyes.

“How much do you want to tell?” he countered softly.

“Why don’t you just start and we will see how far it needs to go?” Violet suggested. So many undercurrents were swirling in the room, she was certain she wouldn’t hear the entire story, no matter how much she needled Joshua. But she needed to know more than she did.

Heyes gave Red a tender kiss and turned towards Violet.

“We were born in Kansas,” Heyes started.

“You’ve told me that,” Violet nodded impatiently.

“Heyes, I don’t think you need to go that far back,” the Kid interjected. His partner scowled at realization dawned on Violet Stanton’s face.

“No, you’re not…” She looked from Curry, who met her eyes guilelessly, to Heyes, who was revamping his story, to Red who for a moment wouldn’t meet her eyes, but then boldly did.

“Hell, Kid, that’s definitely one way to introduce ourselves.” Heyes scowled.

“Figured it would save us all a lot of time.” The Kid shrugged. “You ain’t known to be concise at times, Heyes.”

“Aunt Violet.” Red got her aunt’s rapidly wandering attention. “I’d like to introduce Mr. Hannibal Heyes,” she nodded towards Heyes, who just smiled wider. “And Mr. Jedediah Curry, also at times known as Kid Curry.”

Violet looked from one to the other, wondering. “I knew you were not who you said you were, but …” She looked at Red. “You brought Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry into my home and did not bother to tell me?” 

“Aunt…” Red began.

“Kid, can you go and get the brandy from the library?” Heyes interrupted. “I think we all need another drink and not tea.”

The Kid just nodded and came back swiftly, pouring everyone a good measure.

Heyes raised his glass. “To family.” He then captured the gaze of each person in the room, making certain that the implications of that statement hit home with everyone.

“Are you family?” Aunt Violet inquired, her eyes questioning.

“The Kid and I are,” Heyes stated. “Can I go back to where I wanted to start?” He flashed a smile. “I promise, I’ll condense it.”

The Kid just rolled his eyes.

Violet turned back to Red. “Did you know who they were when you brought them into my home?”

“Now, if you’d just let me …” Heyes tried to interject.

“No,” Red stated. Heyes started to interrupt again, but she turned towards him, placing her hand on his chest, capturing his gaze, and meeting his impatient stare with a steely gaze of her own, until he reluctantly subsided. She turned towards Violet.

“No, Aunt. I did not know who they really were until last Christmas in Washington, when I overhead them talking to Senator Warren.”

“Bessie’s father?” Violet looked at Heyes and then longer at Curry.

“It was then Governor Warren who started this all.” Heyes stated and recaptured Violet’s attention.

“All right, Mr. Heyes.” Violet’s gaze was as steely as Heyes’ own, by this point. “Tell your story.”

Heyes looked first at the Kid, who shrugged, and then at Red, who finally acquiesced and nodded.

“The Kid and I grew up in Kansas.”

Eyes rolled, but he continued. “We had excellent parents.”

“I think you’ve told me that before too.” Violet stated and then softened. “You also said they were killed in the border wars.”

Heyes nodded, cleared his throat, and said, “We have excellent roots for our characters, Violet. We just grew up among the weeds, with the resulting lack of care.” He held up his hand to forestall any interruption.

“I’m not making any excuse for all we did when we ran the Devil’s Hole gang, or even sometime before that, but just trying to explain how we ended up with twenty thousand dollars on our heads and wanted dead or alive.”

He took a deep breath and his gaze became unfocused, as if explaining this to himself. “After years of living in this wild environment, we realized we wouldn’t continue to for much longer. We’d end up in the Wyoming State Prison or killed by a bounty hunter.

“It was then that we had our friend, Lom Trevors, ask the governor for an amnesty.”

“Amnesty?” Violet looked surprised. “For Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry?”

Heyes laughed. “Yes, we were lucky the governor didn’t order Lom out of his office.” He continued. “But he knew something needed to be done to stop us.” Heyes’ eyes glittered harshly. “He offered us a deal he knew we really couldn’t refuse, but that would solve all his problems one way or another. We had to promise to go straight for a while, but still remain wanted.”

“That was a good deal?” Violet scoffed.

“No, it was a horrible deal.” Heyes laughed dryly. “For us. But we really had no other option.” He looked over at his partner. “I think we’d’ve been dead by now if we hadn’t agreed.”

The Kid just nodded silently.

“So we did our best to stay out of trouble, out of jail, and away from every bounty hunter in the West.” He smiled harshly. “It’s been almost six years.”

Violet nodded. “Heyes and Curry had dropped out of sight, even before these, what were they, Johansen brothers?”

Red squirmed and a look passed from her to Heyes to Curry. Violet did not miss it.

“We finally gave up on the amnesty deal, after Wyoming went through several governors in the years before and after statehood and we still were left waiting.”

“Did you go back to stealing?” Violet asked. “Is that where your money is from?”

The Kid laughed and Heyes joined him. Red just looked uncomfortable.

“No, our luck had finally changed.” Heyes captured Violet’s gaze back from her niece. “We found a … friend … who backed me in a high stakes poker game in San Francisco. I started playing cautiously. And I won. I’ve kept winning.” His dimples appeared. “Enough to keep increasing our capital with Marion Vogel. She’s doing her best to increase it in more respectable ways.”

“You introduced them to Marion.” Violet turned to her niece. Red nodded.

“And I backed Hannibal in his game.” Red held her aunt’s gaze.

“Where did you get the money?” Violet’s face drained as a horrible conclusion started to form in her mind.

“By the time I found Chas when I went out West, he was already running with an outlaw gang.” Red stated simply.

“The Devil’s Hole Gang?” Violet asked sharply.

“No!” Both Heyes and Curry replied.

“We were retired long before either Chip or Red became involved in that life,” Heyes stated capturing first Red’s then Violet’s gaze.

Alex took a sip of the brandy, set it on the table, and leaned against the back of the couch, rubbing her eyes. She kept ahold of Heyes’ hand, but started to talk. Heyes and Curry could see her genteel façade fade away and Red appeared. Violet was surprised as she saw it too.

“No, Aunt. Chas wasn’t that smart. He was running with a no account, stupid cuss, name of Bob Longley.” She shook her head. “I had showed up as prim and proper Alexandra Stanton and was lucky to get away with my life. I came back as his kid brother, Red.” She met Violet’s eyes, something deep and dark reflecting in her own. “I knew if he kept following Bob Longley he’d be dead within the year.”

“Red’s right,” the Kid interjected. “Longley was your run of the mill outlaw. Not too bright and was gonna get caught.”

“Well, ol’ Bob finally did something stupid enough that Chip … that is Chas, finally left with me and a couple other boys.” Red’s look turned inward. “We started robbing to stay alive, to get food.”

“Why didn’t you come back?” Violet interjected quietly.

Red shook her head. “Chip wouldn’t until he had money to marry Olive.”

Violet’s face turned sad and Red continued.

“We got good. And I came up with the plan.”

Realization washed over Violet’s face. “The Johansen Brothers ruined Jacob Wheeler.”

Red nodded silently.

“The man responsible for your father’s troubles.”

“Yes.” Red met her aunt’s gaze and Violet for the first time met the eyes of Red Johnson.

“But you have to go to Cheyenne!” Red insisted.

It was later that evening. Aunt Violet wearily returned to her bed after all the revelations. Heyes and Curry were surprised she hadn’t kicked them out of her home. Red said she was just too ill from the grippe and to give her time.

It was in this atmosphere that they ate a tension filled dinner, acutely aware of all the servants hovering. They retired to the library, with refilled decanters of whiskey and brandy and closed doors.

That night all three of them were drinking whiskey.

Red grimaced at her sip, but swallowed it, appreciating its strength for the first time.

Heyes shook his head. “Not with the conditions. Not this time.”

“All they’ve asked is that I accompany you.”

Heyes’ eyes burned into Red’s.

“If they knew who I was, there would be more federal marshals breaking down the front door, than even you two have ever seen in your lives.” She took another sip and relished the burn.

“No. Absolutely not.” Heyes downed the whiskey in his glass and poured more. He lifted the decanter to offer more to Curry, who shook his head.

“Heyes.”

His cousin ignored him, thoughts whirling on Heyes’ face.

“Heyes.” The Kid leaned forward and put his hand on Heyes’ knee. He received a glare in return, but wasn’t daunted. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t seen before.

“Heyes, we gotta go.”

“Why?” Heyes barked out a reply, while still caressing Red’s hand.

“Lom said it was good news.”

“Lom doesn’t know about Red.”

The Kid shrugged. “Maybe the governor doesn’t either.”

“We can’t take that risk.”

“I like the odds.” Red interjected and the Kid smirked.

“Well, I don’t.” Heyes was not going to budge.

“My love.” Red lay on Heyes’ chest, in the peaceful moonlight streaming into the bedroom.

“Yes?” Heyes’ curt reply surprised Red. She had expected that he’d be half asleep if not totally.

“You know we have to go.”

A deep shuddering sigh came out of him. “No matter how much we keep tryin’ …” He scrubbed his face. “Why?”

“It may be your only chance at amnesty.”

“That’s for certain.” The Kid’s voice came from the adjoining water closet.

“Just how much do you hear?” Red raised her head and shifted the blanket to cover her as she lay back against the pillow. Heyes handed her the lawn shift he had deprived her of earlier.

“Only what I want, Red. Believe me when I say, only what I want.” He smiled as he sauntered over. “I just heard voices now. After.”

“Well, Kid, you have as much stake in this game as anyone. Sit on down.” Heyes shifted to sit against the headboard, the blanket settling around his waist.

“Heyes, you know she’s right.”

“Yeah, Kid, but I’ve been trying my darnedest to come up with another plan.” Heyes sighed. “But I haven’t.”

“Maybe because there isn’t any,” the Kid said softly.

“So we go?” Red looked from one of them to the other.

“We go.” Heyes put his arm around her, as he exchanged a glance of a thousand words with the Kid.


End file.
